Green Lantern (John Stewart)
History Origin John Stewart was an architect from Detroit, Michigan who was selected by the Guardians of the Universe as Hal Jordan's backup after Guy Gardner was seriously injured in a disaster. Although Jordan objected after seeing that Stewart had a belligerant attitude to authority figures, the Guardians stood by their selection. Jordan complied and recruited and equipped Stewart with the standard uniform and power ring. To Jordan, Stewart's first mission began badly with the assignment of protecting a racist politician and Stewart took advantage of averting an accident to embarrass him in the process. However, Stewart soon proved his worth when an apparent African American assassin shot at the politician, but Stewart refused to intervene with Jordan to move in response to the attack. However, Stewart had good reasons for this apparent dereliction of duty when he stopped a gunman from killing a police officer in the outside parking lot at the event while Jordan was pursuing a decoy. When Jordan confronted Stewart for his actions, Stewart effectively explained the situation of the ruse and the fact the politician staged it for political advantage. With that adventure, Jordan concluded that Stewart was an excellent recruit after all. Justice League of America For some time, Stewart occasionally filled in for him as Green Lantern when Jordan was unavailable, including some missions of the Justice League. After Jordan gave up being Green Lantern, the Guardians selected Stewart to full time duty. Stewart filled that role for some years, during which time he married Katma Tui, the Green Lantern of the planet Korugar. After Tui’s murder, Stewart became the administrator of the “Mosaic World,” a patchwork of communities from multiple planets that had been brought to Oa by an insane Guardian. From this position, Stewart eventually ascended to Guardianhood, which he later relinquished. After a brief period of paraplegia, he became Green Lantern once again and became a member of the JLA. Stewart was also a member of the Darkstars for some time. He regained his power ring during Kyle Rayner's tenure as Earth's main Green Lantern, and remained his backup for years, until Hal Jordan was resurrected after his spirit was freed from Parallax and the Spectre, after which Jordan took over Rayner's role as Rayner went to serve an administrative position in the Green Lantern Corps in Oa. In the subsequent restructuring of the Corps, each sector now has two Green Lanterns assigned to it, and Stewart and Jordan now share the responsibilities for Earth's sector 2814. After the dissolution of the Justice League in the aftermath of the Infinite Crisis event, and the destruction of their Moon Watchtower headquarters, Stewart has begun playing a larger role in metahuman affairs, working with many former Justice Leaguers. Sinestro Corps War John was on Oa with fellow Earth Green Lanterns Hal, Guy, and Kyle to discuss the new threat of the new Sinestro Corps with the Guardians. Kyle was abducted by a yellow power ring and the Sinestro Corps storms Oa in a surprise attack, killing thousands of Green Lanterns. Bedovian, a sniper of the Sinestro Corps, had been taking out several Green Lanterns three sectors away, and John uses his ring to create a scoped sniper to find Bedovian and then shoots him, taking out the sniper. Because Green Lanterns power rings are not allowed to kill John most likly injured Bedovian. When John, Hal, and Guy attempt to recharge their rings using the Central Power Battery, they set off a booby trap set by the Sinestro Corps and were transported to Qward. Parallax, who had infected Kyle forced John to relive the moment where he failed to save Xanshi. He and Guy were freed by Hal and the Lost Lanterns. While Ion was recovered by the Lost Lanterns the Earth Lanterns returned home to get back up only to discover that the Sinestro Corps were about to attack Earth. John went to Coast City to help Hal battle Parallax, but found that Parallax had absorbed Hal as well. He held off Parallax long enough for Guy to return with a painting that Kyle's mother painted, and used it to snap Kyle out of Parallax's control. The painting and Hal's words restore Kyle's will and he breaks free from the fear entity. Ganthet and Sayd appeared to imprison Parallax into Hal, Guy, John, and Kyle's four separate batteries. After Ganthet and Sayd warned the Earth Lanterns about the Blackest Night, John and Guy went to New York to help Earth's heroes and the Green Lantern Corps to battle the Sinestro Corps. He and Guy came up with the idea to use Warworld as an grenade, which badly injured the Anti-Monitor, who was then thrown into space by the traitorous Superman Prime. John took Guy to Soranik Natu in hopes that she could stop the Sinestro Corps sentient virus Despotellis. Soranik used the Green Lantern smallpox virus Leezle Pon, who stopped Despotellis. After the war John hung out with fellow Earth Lanterns at Hal's family's apartment in Coast City. War of Light John was asked by the Guardian to join a new divison within the Corps: the Alpha Lanterns, but John refused. John was later one of the Green Lanterns chosen to escort Sinestro to Korugar, however the escort team was ambushed by the Sinestro Corps and the newly formed Red Lantern Corps. The Green Lanterns were left to die in space after Atrocitus captures Sinestro. They are saved by Saint Walker, a member of the Blue Lantern Corps. John was infected with the rage of the red power rings and attacked Saint Walker. Walker uses his blue ring to create a construct of Katma Tui, who heals John and calmed him down by showing him a vision of himself flying with Katma. He told Kilowog that he would see Katma again and that the universe told him so. John stopped the Guardians from attacking Hal with green energy, in an attempt to destroy a blue power ring that was attached to Hal. He witnessed Larfleeze making demands to the Guardians. John traveled with a legion of other Lanterns and the Guardians into the Vega System which was now not off limits anymore. As criminals fleed the system around them, the Green Lanterns traveled to Okaara, where Larfleeze kept the Orange Light in his grasp. The Green Lanterns battled the Orange Lanterns, who were constructs of Larfleeze's victims. During the battle, John was ambushed by the now Star Sapphire, Fatality. She trapped him in a crystal with her so there would be no interference from the dueling Corps. While trapped with John, Fatality said that she forgave John for destroying her planet all those years ago and told him that he should forgive himself as well. She then left John to ponder. The Blackest Night John goes to Coast City with Hal, Guy, and Kyle on the anniversy on Superman's death which has been declared a national holiday for fallen heroes. The four Earth Green Lanterns attend a parade in honor of those killed in Mongul I's attack. John leaves to visit Xanshi after the parade ends. When John visits the grave of planet Xanshi, thousands of black rings fly into the planetary debris, and reconstitute the entire planet. Xanshi itself then speaks to John, telling him "I can help you save them." Against his better judgment, John descends to the planet's surface. Once reaching the surface, John finds himself confronted by Katma Tui and the entire population of Xanshi as Black Lanterns. While battling them all, Katma tries to weaken John by claiming that he caused the planet's destruction. However, John, spurred on by Fatality's words, says that he wasn't the cause of it all and successfully fights off the Black Lanterns. After escaping Xanshi's atmosphere, John realises that the planet is headed for Earth, along with every Black Lantern in the universe, and contacts Hal, warning him of the impending threat. John is almost overwhelmed by Black Lanterns, but is saved by seven corps united against Nekron. John leads a team made up of Kilowog, Fatality, and other members of the seven Corps to destroy the reanimated Xanshi. John finally makes peace with losing his wife Katma and failing to save Xanshi; he and the other lanterns destroy the core of the planet which was made up of thousands of black power rings. With Xanshi destroyed Nekron and Black Hand feel an intense pain just as Sinestro is revived by the Entity. The Brightest Day John is seen in Oa, supervising the demolition of the buildings left in ruins after the Black Lanterns attack, and planing the reconstruction. He is called suddenly to the Guardians' chamber, where they order him to join Alpha Lantern Boodikka in a mission to robot planet Grenda, Stel's homeworld, where the communications ceased abruptly without explanation, and Lantern Stel and the population are missing. John agrees and departs with Boodikka. After arriving in the planet, the two confirmed the Guardians report: the entire population mysteriously disappeared. John asks Boodikka if something of her older self remains despite been turned into a Alpha Lantern, after she asks him why he refused to join the Alpha Lanterns. Boodikka responds that her changes are only physical, and she still have her former personality, John doubts about this affirmation. The two discover what seems to be a Green Lantern House Sector, that, accorded to Boodikka, its not registered. After entered inside, they discovered Green Lanterns Horoq Nnot and Stel, the last one tells John he must flee from the planet immediately. Suddenly, Boodikka turns against John and attacks him; despite John fights back, he's surrounded by more rogue Alpha Lanterns and is defeated. Its reveled that the Alpha Lanterns have begun a revolt against the rest of the corps, allied themselves with Hank Henshaw, the Cyborg Superman, and take control of Grenda to use the planet as their hidden base to turn Green Lanterns into Alpha Lanterns. John Stewart is last seen wounded and bleeding, been taken to Henshaw by Boodikka. The Cyborg Superman then begins the cosmic surgery to turn John into another Alpha Lantern. War of The Green Lanterns On their return to the matter universe, John and the others are affected by the return of Parallax to the Central Power Battery by Krona. Their previous experience with Parallax allows John, Kyle and Ganthet to escape its control, but they are forced to fight their fellow Green Lanterns. Affected by Parallax's fear powers, John and Kyle are forced to remove their rings and escape through Oa's underground. They then meet up with Guy and Hal, who has the rings of the other corps' leaders. John initially chooses Larfleeze's orange ring, but is convinced by Hal to use Indigo-1's ring instead due to the debilitating effects of the orange ring on the wearer's psyche. When the corrupted Green Lanterns attack, John has difficulty channeling the various corps powers through his ring. Things are made worse when Mogo joins the attack. While Hal and Guy go to remove Parallax from the Central Power Battery, John and Kyle attempt to free Mogo from Krona's control. On the way, John attempts to stop the flow of tainted rings sent by Mogo, but fails. As he and Kyle head for Mogo's core instead, they discover residual Black Lantern energy around it. John absorbs the Black Lantern energy, along with all the Green Lantern energy, and regretfully uses it to destroy Mogo. In the fallout, the two regroup with Hal, Guy and Ganthet, using the full power of the emotional spectrum to crack open the Battery and release Parallax. Their job done, the Lanterns regain their original green rings, in preparation for the final confrontation with Krona. Powers and Abilities Powers *'Indomitable Will': John Stewart's willpower exceeds the limit on his Green Lantern Power Ring. *'Compassion': John has the ability to feel great compassion to such a degree, he can successfully use an Indigo Tribe Power Ring and an Indigo Tribe Power Staff. Abilities *'Green Lantern Ring Mastery': As noted by many, Stewart's constructs are never hollow. He builds them from the inside out, down to the last nut and bolt. *'Architect': John is an accomplished architect having had a hand in building the new Hall of Justice as well as rebuilding Coast City. *'Marine Training' *'Flight Combat Expert' Equipment *Green Lantern Power Battery Former Equipment *Indigo Lantern Power Staff Weapons *Green Lantern Power Ring Former Weapons *Indigo Lantern Power Ring Notes *John is a former member of the USMC with full combat training. *He is also an expert sniper. Trivia *Unusually for a Green Lantern, John Stewart does not wear a domino mask to protect his true identity. He made this perfectly clear in Green Lantern (Vol 2) #87 at the start of his training by Hal Jordan, when he tossed the mask away and said "This black man lets it all hang out! I've got nothing to hide!" See Also *Green Lantern (John Stewart)/Gallery In Other Media *John Stewart is one of the founding members of the Justice League, as seen in the animated series of the same name and its subsequent Justice League Unlimited. He was voiced by Phil LaMarr in English and by Taiten Kusunoki in the Japanese dub. His characterization initially differed from the comics version by being a former United States Marine and having not been explicitly revealed to have studied architecture. Since then the comic book version has been updated to reflect these changes. In a development not seen in any other version of the Green Lantern mythos, Stewart's eyes glow green as a side effect of his fifteen years of exposure to the power ring's radiation; the glow fades when the ring runs out energy or if he is physically separated from the ring. Bruce Timm said this was done to give Stewart's face a more visually interesting look, as they decided to stick with the comic book tradition of depicting John Stewart without a mask. By many accounts, the ring is also effective against yellow, contradicting an age-old weakness of the Lantern Corps. This is in continuity with the earlier appearance of Kyle Rayner on Superman: The Animated Series. There have been a few instances in the show of something yellow somehow counteracting the Lantern energy, but he is never explicitly shown to have the same weakness from the comics. Having two main characters with similar names (John and J'onn) can lead to minor confusion (Flash sometimes collectively refers to them as the two Johns); the closed captioning of some episodes misspell John's name as J'onn and vice versa. *Phil LaMarr reprised his role of John Stewart in the Static Shock episode "A League of Their Own." He and the Justice League call in Static and Gear in order to help fight Brainiac. In "Fallen Hero," John Stewart ends up attacking Dakota. It turns out that Sinestro orchestrated an event that resulted in Sinestro stealing John Stewart's battery source. Once this was found out, Static helped John Stewart defeat Sinestro and reclaim his battery source. *John Stewart appears in the Young Justice animated series voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson. He appears as a member of the Justice League. In the one-hour pilot episode, "Independence Day", John is shown working with Hal to contain Blockbuster after he has been defeated by Aqualad, Superboy, Robin and Kid Flash as well as carrying the non-flying mentors Aquaman, Batman, and Black Canary. He reappears in the episode "Alpha Male" where he is shown helping to rebuild the Mount Justice after it is attacked by Red Torpedo and Red Inferno. He and Hal appear in "Failsafe" where they are apparently vaporized by invading aliens (though the invasion is later revealed to be nothing more than a botched mind-training exercise for the members of Young Justice due to Miss Martian having a bad reaction for what happened to Artemis there). *He appears in DC Universe Online with the Green Lantern Corps in the pack Fight for the Light. Links *http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/John_Stewart_%28New_Earth%29 *http://www.comicvine.com/john-stewart/29-10451/ Category:Green Lantern Corps Members Category:Former Indigo Tribe Members Category:Former Guardians of the Universe Category:Former Justice League Members Category:Multiple Lantern Corps